Therapeutic wrap

ABSTRACT

The subject matter of the invention relates to therapy wraps for the application of compression and/or thermal therapy to a patient. The wraps are formed of at least two layers of material which are sealed together to form at least one cavity between them. The wraps may be used in conjunction with a therapy machine which fills the cavity or cavities of the wraps with fluid such as a gas and/or a liquid. The unique shapes of the wraps are particularly suitable for providing therapy to the human body. The shapes permit the manipulation of the wraps around various portions of the human body such as the shoulder, back and foot.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

Not Applicable

FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT

Not Applicable.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates generally to thermal and compressionsystems used in the application of thermal and compression therapy to apatient's body. More particularly, the invention is directed toremovable wraps that are applied to a portion of the patient's body, forexample, a patient's back, shoulder or foot. The wraps include at leastone fluid-tight chamber allowing for the ingress and egress of a fluid.The ingress of a fluid, which may also be heated or cooled, into thefluid-tight chamber applies compression and/or thermal therapy to thepatient's body in the location of the wrap.

Compression and thermal wraps similar to the invention described hereinhave been in use for many years. The wraps are designed to be applied anarea of the patient's body where therapy is desired. Once in place, afluid (either a gas or a liquid) is forced into a fluid-tight chamber ofthe wrap thereby applying therapy to the portion of the patient's bodycontacted by the wrap. Such wraps are often used in the treatment andprevention of deep vein thrombosis, but may have other uses as well.

Prior wraps were constructed of two or more layers of material, sealedtogether to form a fluid tight chamber. The fluid-tight chamber, orfluid-tight chambers of such wraps could then be subdivided into smallerfluid-tight chambers, or could have one or more pathways formed withinthem. Such wraps have been made into a variety of shapes. Examples ofdifferent wraps are described in U.S. Pat. No. 7,198,093 issued toElkins, U.S. Pat. No. 7,211,104 issued to Edelman, U.S. Pat. No.5,466,250 issued to Johnson, Jr. et al., U.S. Pat. No. 7,442,175 issuedto Meyer et al., U.S. Pat. No. 6,352,550 issued to Gildersleeve et al.,U.S. Pat. No. 5,411,541 issued to Bell et al., and U.S. PatentApplication Publication 2008/0058911 filed on behalf of Parish et al.

Wraps of the aforementioned construction suffer from a number ofshortcomings. Particularly, the shape of each wrap identified, as wellas others in the prior art fail to adequately conform to the human body.To achieve optimal therapy, the wrap must be secured to that portion ofthe body where therapy is desired and remain in place throughout thetherapy session. That is particularly difficult when therapy is desiredon an irregularly shaped portion of the body such as, for example, ashoulder. Consequently, the therapeutic wraps associated with thepresent invention solve the problems plaguing prior wraps by uniquelyshaping wraps to provide optimal therapy to the body.

As described in detail below, the present invention provides a uniquesolution to the aforementioned problems.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to uniquely shaped therapy wraps. Thewraps may be constructed of two or more layers of material which aresealed together to from a fluid tight cavity bounded by a cavity seal.Additionally, at least one hose is provided such that one end of thehose is in fluid communication with the interior of the cavity while theother end of the hose is in fluid communication with the environment.The hose may be provided with various valves to assist in the control offluid moving from the environment into and/or out of the interior of thecavity.

Three particularly shaped wraps are provided. The first wrap ispreferably in the shape of a rectangle or a capital letter H having asmall flap on one lower portion of the wrap and an elongated arm on theother lower portion. The hose or hoses are positioned at the end of theelongated arm such that fluid is forced into the elongated arm first andthen permitted to travel into the main body of the wrap. Preferably, thewrap is utilized to provide therapy to a person's lower back. The mainbody portion of the wrap is laid across the persons lower back such thatthe elongated arm is allowed to curve around the person's torso. Havingthe hoses attached to the elongated arm prevents the hoses from beingkinked or blocked by a person's body weight when the person is seated orsupine. It also alleviates the discomfort that would otherwise beexperienced by the person if they were resting against the hoses whiletherapy was being applied. Furthermore, the placement of the hosesprovides easy access to the ends of the hoses open to the environmentbecause the elongated arm wraps around the torso so as to be at the sideor in front of the person utilizing the wrap. With the hoses and armlocated thusly, the person can easily monitor the ingress an egress offluid to and from the wrap by testing or feeling the elongated arm.

The second wrap is generally in the shape of a capital letter T or Y. Ithas three lobes, one of which is equipped with one or more hoses. Thatwrap is preferably utilized to provide therapy to a persons shoulder. Inuse, the first two lobes, without the hoses, may be connected togetherin front of or behind the third flap having the hoses. Bringing the twolobes together in that manner alters the three-dimensional shape of thewrap, transforming it from an essentially flat wrap into a cup shape.The cup may then be placed over the persons shoulder and the three lobeswill rest against and encompasses the shoulder muscles. Preferably, thewrap is further held in place by an elastic strap which is wrappedaround the person's torso and connected to the exterior of the wrap.Placing the hoses in the third lobe allows the hoses to comfortably hangdown along the persons arm regardless of the size of the individual.That is, the orientation of the first two lobes may be easily altered toaccommodate both large and small individuals, but the orientation of thehoses will remain essentially constant, hanging down along the arm.

The third wrap is generally in the shape of a trapezoid connected to apentagon. That is, the top of the wrap is generally in the shape of apentagon, having a top that is shorter in length than the base. The baseis connected to a lower portion of the wrap which is generally in theshape of a pentagon. The point of the pentagon is connected to the baseof the trapezoid to form the entire wrap. Furthermore, one or more hosesare provided, entering the cavity of the wrap along the base of thepentagon, that is, the side of the pentagon opposite of the connectingpoint. Preferably the wrap is utilized to provide therapy to a person'sfoot and ankle. The wrap may be applied by placing a person's foot onthe wrap such that the person's heal is located in the trapezoid, thearch of the foot crosses the connection point between the trapezoid andthe pentagon, and the toes of the person are located in the pentagon.The wrap is then manipulates so as to wrap around the persons ankleand/or lower calf as well as around the top of the person's foot andtoes. Having the hoses positioned along the base of the pentagon ensuresthat fluid entering the cavity of the third wrap moves from the person'stoes, back along the foot toward the ankle, then up the ankle to thelower calf. By directing fluid in such a manner, it is possible tocreate a pressure gradient that moves along the person's foot and pushedbodily fluid, such as blood, away from the toes and back into theperson's leg.

The wraps constructed according to the present invention may be used toapply compression and thermal therapy to a body. It is contemplated thatthe wraps could be used to apply such therapy by using the wraps inconjunction with a compression and thermal therapy machine such as thedevice disclosed in U.S. Patent Application Publication No. U.S.2001/0257565. That device is equipped with a number of ports which maybe connected to the hose or hoses of the wraps discussed herein. Thedevice provides fluid in the form of a thermal liquid or gas through thehoses connected to the ports and into the wraps in order to providethermal and or compression therapy.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a plan view of a wrap having an elongated arm.

FIG. 2 is a plan view of a wrap having an elongated arm and a gradientfluid pathway.

FIG. 3 is a plan view of a wrap having an elongated arm and a fluidpathway as well as a seal pattern.

FIG. 4 is a plan view of a wrap having a shape similar to the capitalletter T or Y and having a fluid pathway and seal pattern.

FIG. 5 is a plan view of a wrap having a shape similar to the capitalletter T or Y and having a gradient fluid pathway.

FIG. 6 is a plain view of a wrap having a shape similar to that of atrapezoid connected to a pentagon and a fluid pathway.

FIG. 7 is a plan view of a wrap having a shape similar to that of atrapezoid connected to a pentagon and having a gradient fluid pathway.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Throughout the specification, wherever practicable, like structures willbe identified by like reference numbers.

It is preferable that the therapy system of the present invention isused to apply thermal and/or compression therapy utilizing variousspecially designed wraps. The particular shape and benefits afforded bythe various specially designed wraps for use with the therapy systemwill be described in detail below. The wraps may be constructed for theapplication of thermal treatment using a circulated heated or cooledfluid, the application of compression therapy, or both. Thermal therapyonly wraps may be constructed utilizing at least two layers of materialand at least two hoses. The two or more layers of material and two ormore hoses are laminated together at least about the perimeter of thetwo layers of material thereby forming a cavity between at least two ormore layers and such that the two hoses provide pathways for the ingressand egress of fluid to and from the cavity. Alternately, the wrapdesigns could be utilized for compression therapy utilizing two or morelayers of material and at least one hose. In such an embodiment the twoor more layers of material and the at least one hose are sealed togetherabout the perimeters of the material thereby forming a cavity betweenthem with the one or more hoses providing a pathway for the ingress andegress of fluid, preferably compressed gas, to the cavity. In thepreferred embodiments, the basic construction of each is essentially thesame. Each wrap includes at least three, but preferably four, fluidtight layers of material and at least three hoses. The three or morelayers of material and at least three hoses are sealed together, forexample using radio frequency (RF) welding, so as to create at least twofluid tight chambers between them, such that fluid is permitted ingressto and egress from the chambers by way of the hoses. Material suitablefor constructing wraps include 200 Denier nylon oxford laminated topolyurethane for use in creating the exterior layers, with interiorlayers being made of polyurethane alone. Such material may be purchasedfrom a variety of companies including Lamcotec of 152 Bethany Road, POBox 279, Monson, Mass. 01057.

It should be understood that the hose and/or hoses referred to hereinare in the simplest sense a pieces of conduit that provide an accesspathway from the exterior of a fluid tight cavity to the interior of thefluid tight cavity. The hose may be of more complex design however, suchas a multiple pieces of conduit having one or more valves or connectionpieces all coupled together which essentially provide the same pathwaybetween the exterior and interior of the fluid tight cavity. Preferably,the hose is simply a hose which provides the pathway between theinterior of the cavity and the exterior of the fluid tight cavity bytraversing the seal between the layers of material which define thefluid tight cavity. However, the hose could alternatively be a portwhich is formed in the sidewall of the fluid tight cavity to whichanother hose may be connected.

In the preferred construction of each of the wraps recited below, afirst sheet of polyurethane is provided having one side coated withnylon. The nylon side is placed face down such that the polyurethaneside is facing up. Two hoses are place on top of the first sheet suchthat the hoses each cross over the perimeter of the first sheet and thusa first end of a first hose and a first end of a second hose each reston top of the first sheet. The second end of the first hose and thesecond end of the second hose are each oriented such that each is incontact with the open air. Preferably, the hoses are oriented such thatthe longitudinal axis of each hose aligns perpendicularly to theperimeter of the first sheet at the point at which each hose crosses theperimeter of the first sheet. A second sheet of polyurethane material ofsubstantially the same size and shape as the first sheet is orientedover the first sheet and laid on top of the first sheet such that theperimeters of both the first and second sheets substantially line up.The second sheet thus substantially covers the first sheet and coversthe first end of the first hose and the first end of the second hose. Athird sheet of polyurethane substantially the same size and shape as thefirst and second sheets is laid on top of the second sheet. A third hoseis laid on top of the third sheet such that it crosses over theperimeter of the third sheet and thus a first end of the third hoserests on top of the third sheet. The second end of the third hose isoriented such that it is in contact with the open air. As with the firstand second hoses, it is preferred that the third hose is oriented suchthat the longitudinal axis of the third hose aligns perpendicularly tothe perimeter of the third sheet at the point at which the third hosecrosses the perimeter of the third sheet. A fourth sheet of polyurethanecoated with nylon, having substantially the same size and shape as thefirst, second and third sheets, is laid on top of the third sheet suchthat the perimeters of all four sheets substantially align; the fourthsheet covers the first end of the third hose and is laid on top of theother sheets such that the nylon coating is facing away from the thirdsheet.

The four sheets may then be sealed together, preferably about theirperimeters. The seal is formed such that the first and second sheets aresealed together thereby creating a first cavity between the first andsecond sheet where the first and second hoses are sealed between thefirst and second sheets such that first end of the first hose and thefirst end of the second hose communicate with the cavity between thefirst and second sheets. Because the first end of the first hose and thefirst end of the second hose communicate with the first cavity and thesecond end of the first hose and the second end of the second hosecommunicate with the open air, fluid may be passed through the first orsecond hose to either fill or drain the first cavity. Similarly, thethird sheet and fourth sheet are sealed together, preferably about theirperimeters, thereby creating a second cavity between the third sheet andfourth sheet where the third hose is sealed between the third sheet andfourth sheet such that the first end of the third hose is incommunication with the second cavity between the third sheet and fourthsheet. Because the first end of the third hose is in communication withthe second cavity and the second end of the third hose is incommunication with the open air, fluid may be passed through the thirdhose to either fill or drain the second cavity. The first, second, thirdand fourth sheets are also all sealed together, preferably about theirperimeter, thereby creating one wrap having at least two cavities andtwo or more hoses such that a first cavity includes at least one hose incommunication with the interior of the first cavity and a second cavityincludes at least one hose in communication with the second cavity. Itshould be appreciated that the seals sealing together the first andsecond sheets and sealing together the third and fourth sheets formcontinuous paths encircling the entirety of the cavities formed betweenthe first and second sheet and between the third and fourth sheet,respectively. The seal forming the first cavity further surrounds theexterior of the first and second hoses, while the seal forming thesecond cavity surrounds the exterior of the third hose such that theonly avenue for fluid to ingress to and egress from the first cavity isthrough the first or second hoses and the only avenue for fluid toingress to and egress from the second cavity is through the third hose.The wraps may also include fasteners, such as hook and loop, snaps,buttons, eyelets or other type of fasteners.

It should be apparent that additional hoses could be sealed betweeneither the first and second layers or between the third and fourthlayers or even between any number of additional layers. It should alsobe apparent that while it is preferable that the at least four layers ofmaterial are sealed together such that only one seal is necessary toform the first cavity, second cavity and connect the layers of materialtogether, multiple seals could be utilized. That is, a first cavity sealcould be used to seal together a first layer and a second layer to forma first cavity, a second cavity seal could be used to seal together athird layer and a fourth layer to form a second cavity and a thirdconnecting seal could be used to seal at least one of the first orsecond layers of material to at least one of the third or fourth layersof material. The first cavity seal, second cavity seal, and connectingseal could each be of unique size and shape such that when the fourlayers of material are connected together along the connecting seal,none of the three seals overlap. Alternately, the three seals couldpartially overlap when the layers of material are connected together.Alternately, and preferably, all three seals, the first cavity seal,second cavity seal and connecting seal are all formed at the same timesuch that they are essentially one in the same seal, entirelyoverlapping and congruous with one another.

Bearing in mind the aforementioned general construction of the wraps, anumber of specially designed wraps will now be described with referenceto FIGS. 1 trough 7. In FIG. 1, a wrap 300 is provided. Wrap 300 isconstructed as described above such that at least one hose, a firstsheet and a second sheet are sealed about the perimeter of the sheetsthereby forming a first cavity having a hose for fluid transfer, atleast one additional hose, a third sheet and a fourth sheet are sealedtogether about the perimeter of the sheets thereby forming a secondcavity having a hose for fluid transfer, and all four of the sheets aresealed together to form the overall wrap. The wrap according to FIG. 1has five general portions (roughly delineated by hash lines 321, 322,and 323) a first lobe 301, a second lobe 302, a third lobe 303, a fourthlobe 304 and an elongated arm 305. In the embodiment depicted in FIG. 1,lobe 303 of wrap 300 also includes a flap 306. Flap 306 extends lobe 303to so that the wrap may partially curve around an individual's lowertorso during the application of therapy to a person's lower back.

The four lobes, 301, 302, 303, and 304 make up the primary body portionof the wrap, which essentially forms the shape of a rectangle or capitalletter H. As shown in FIG. 1, the primary body portion is of greatersurface area than the elongated arm. While the four lobes, flap 306 andthe elongated 305 may be said to be connected, it should be appreciatedthat they are not necessarily brought together as separate pieces andsealed together but instead, and preferably, are constructed from auniform sheets of material with the connection points simply beingimaginary lines 320, 321, 322 and 323. The same may be said of theconnection between lobes of the wraps discussed with respect to any ofFIGS. 1-7.

As shown in FIG. 1, lobes 301 and 302 come together at an indentationpoint 307 and lobes 303 and 304 come together at indentation point 308.Indentation points 307 and 308 are substantially shaped like the capitalletters U or V. The depth indentation 307, that is, the distance betweenthe top of lobes 301 and 302 and the bottom well of indentation point307, is identified as 307 a. The depth of indentation 308, that is, thedistance between the top of lobes 303 and 304 and the bottom well ofindentation point 308, is identified as 308 a. The distance betweenindentation point 307 and indentation point 308 is identified as 309. Itis preferred that 307 a and 308 a are substantially the same if notequal. Additionally, it is preferred that the length 309 is greater thaneither 307 a or 308 a.

Surrounding the perimeter of wrap 300 is seal 310. Seal 310 forms afirst cavity between the first and second sheets of material and asecond cavity between the third and fourth sheets of material. As shownin FIG. 1, arm 305 extends from lobe 304 and has a length 305 a. Also asshown in FIG. 1, wrap 300 includes three hoses, 311, 312 and 313. Thethree hoses are provided at the distal end of arm 305. Preferably, thehoses cross the perimeter of the wrap 300 at the distal end of arm 305,the seal 310 being formed around the exterior of each hose so as not toblock the interior passageway of any hose.

Each hose has two ends, a first end and a second end. The first ends ofhoses 311 and 313 are identified as 311 a and 313 a, respectively. 311 aand 313 a communicate with the first cavity. The second ends of hoses311 and 313 are identified as 311 b and 313 b, respectively. Hose ends311 b and 313 b communicate with the open air. The first end of hose 312is identified as 312 a and it communicates with the second cavity. Thesecond end of hose 312 is identified as 312 b and it communicates withopen air. Thus, fluid may only ingress to and egress from the firstcavity by way of hoses 311 and 313, and fluid may only ingress to andegress from the second cavity by way of hose 312. While the hoses 311,312 and 313 may be of any length, it is preferred that the portion ofeach hose that communicates with cavities one or two does not extend theentire length arm 305. Preferably, length 305 a of arm 305 is between15-30 centimeters and the lengths of those portions of hoses 311, 312and 313 which communicate with cavities one or two, that is, theportions of hoses 311, 312 and 313 extending from seal 310 into wrap300, are approximately 1 centimeter or less each.

The shape of wrap 300 is dictated by the area of the body it is designedto apply therapy to, namely the lower back. In use, wrap 300 is designedto be placed on an individual's lower back such that length 309 isplaced over the individual's spinal column. In such an orientation, lobe301 may provide therapy to the individual's right latissimus dorsi area,lobe 302 may provide therapy to the individual's left latissimus dorisiarea while lobes 303 and 304, resting on or above the individual's leftand right gluteus maximus, respectively, may apply therapy to theindividual's lower back. Arm 305, extending as it does from lobe 304,wraps further around the individual's torso, providing easy access tothe hoses 311, 312, 313 generally in the area of the individual's rightfront hip. Orienting the hoses at the distal end of arm 305 ensures thatthe flow of fluid is not inhibited at 311 a, 312 a or 313 a as a resultof the individual's bodyweight resting on the wrap when sitting orsupine. The location of the hoses on arm 305 also eliminates thediscomfort of resting on top of the hoses when seated or supine andallows the person to easily monitor the flow of fluid.

When wrap 300 is not in use, its profile is substantially flat, beingdefined only by the thickness of the four sheets of material from whichit is made and the hoses. However, when in use, the profile of wrap 300grows and changes due to the ingress of fluid. As fluid ingresses intocavities one, two, or both, the thickness of wrap 300 increases, and thewrap begins to deform and thicken. When the wrap is applied to anindividual, the wrap must curve around the individual's torso and curvealong the spine as well. The indentations 307 and 308 provide flexpoints for the wrap such that when the wrap begins to deform andthicken, the lobes 301, 302, 303 and 304 flex at 307 and 308, allowing agreater surface area of the back to be contacted by the wrap than wouldbe possible were the wrap strictly square or rectangular. Thus,Indentations 307 and 308 help ensure that the wrap stays flush againstthe therapy area and does not kink or bunch during therapy.

Referring now to FIGS. 2 and 3, a first side of the wrap is identifiedas 300 a and a second side is identified as 300 b. The wrap in FIGS. 2and 3 is constructed using four layers of material, all sealed togetherabout perimeter seal 310. The wrap may be formed in two parts, which arethen sealed together. In forming the first part of the wrap, a firstlayer of material is supplied, hoses, 311 and 313 are supplied asdiscussed above, and a second layer of material is supplied on top ofthe first layer. The first and second layers of material are sealedtogether about their perimeter so as to form a first cavity between themwhere fluid may ingress to and egress from the first cavity only by wayof hoses 311 and 313. Seal 314 is also made, sealing layers one and twotogether and creating a fluid pathway from hose 311 around seal 314 tohose 313. While seal 314 may be of a variety of shapes, it is preferredthat it simply bisects 300 a leaving gap 314 a between seal 314 and seal310, where the length of gap 314 a is preferably shorter than the lengthof seal 314. Additional patterned seals may also be formed, such as thepattern of comparatively large circular seals 315 and small circularseals 316 depicted in FIG. 2. The patterned seals minimize wrapdeformation, keeping the overall profile of the wrap low. The patternedseals also help evenly distribute fluid throughout the entirety of thewrap.

The second part of the wrap is formed similarly. A third layer ofmaterial is supplied and a hose 312 is also supplied as described above.A fourth layer of material is supplied on top of the third layer ofmaterial and a seal 310 is created about their perimeters to as to sealthe layers together and form a cavity between them where fluid mayingress to and egress from the cavity only by way of hose 312.Additionally, one or more additional seals may be created between thetwo sheets in order to create one or more channels in the cavity. Asshown in FIG. 3, seal 317 contacts seal 310 at or near arm 305 and itextends almost the entire length of the wrap leaving gap 317 a betweenseal 310 and seal 317 at the distal end of seal 317. The length of gap317 a is preferably shorter than the length of seal 317. Thus, fluidentering the cavity by way of hose 312 will be forced along the entirelength of seal 317 before it is able to traverse the gap 317 a and makeits way up the wrap.

Additional seals may be added to further direct fluid flow. As shown inFIG. 3, seal 318 extends from seal 310 at a point above gap 317 a alongnearly the entire length of the wrap leaving gap 318 a between seal 310and seal 318 at the distal end of seal 318. The length of gap 318 a ispreferably shorter than the length of seal 318. That configuration ofseals forces fluid to traverse the lower portion of the wrap then flowthrough gap 317 a, traverse back along the wrap and flow through gap 318a, before traversing the length of the wrap again. In so doing, thefluid creates a pressure gradient that forces bodily fluid, such asblood, from the lower back up toward the individual's heart. The fluidin the wrap may be repeatedly drained and refilled so as to provide apumping effect to help blood flow in an individual. Additional seals tofurther direct fluid flow could also be added.

It should be appreciated that the first half of the wrap, shown in FIG.2, could be utilized on its own as a complete therapy wrap as could thesecond half, shown in FIG. 3. It is preferable, however, that the firstand second halves are joined together by sealing the four layers ofmaterial about seal 310. So joined, the resultant wrap is constructed offour layers of material and at least two cavities, each of the twocavities having differing sealing patterns. One pattern, shown in FIG.2, ensures that fluid supplied to a first cavity is distributed evenlythroughout the wrap while the other pattern, shown in FIG. 3, ensuresthat the fluid supplied creates a pressure gradient.

Referring to FIGS. 4 and 5, and another wrap 400 is provided. It shouldbe appreciated that the method of construction of wrap 400 may beachieved in essentially the same manner as the construction of wrap 300,particularly with respect to sealing multiple sheets and hoses togetherto form cavities between the sheets so as to only allow for the ingressand egress of fluid through the hoses. The shape of wrap 400 isdifferent however. Wrap 400 includes three lobes, lobe 401, lobe 402 andlobe 403 (roughly defined in FIG. 5 by hash lines 420, 421 and 422).Thus the shape of the wrap may be viewed as essentially triangular orclover like, or in a broad sense as the shape of the capital letter Y orT where, for example, lobes 401 and 402 form the horizontal cross memberof the letter T, lobe 401 forming the first half of the cross member andlobe 402 forming the second half of the cross member, while lobe 403forms the vertical base member of the letter T, all as shown in FIG. 5.Each lobe extends generally from the center point of the wrap andterminates at a distal end which is generally the area of lobe which isfurthest from the center point. Wrap 400 also includes two fasteningsections, 404 a and 404 b. Each fastening section may include any one ofa variety of fasteners such as hook and loop, buttons, snaps, eyeletsthat may be tied together or the like. While it is preferable that thefasteners are of a variety that releasable, that is, they may berepeatedly connected and disconnected, it is possible that the fastenersare permanent, such as sealing together fastener sections 404 b and 404a using RF welding.

Depicted in FIG. 4 is side 400 a, which is constructed utilizing atleast two sheets of material and at least two hoses where the two sheetsare sealed together about their perimeters to from a cavity and at leasttwo hoses are provided such that fluid may ingress to and egress fromthe cavity only by way of the hoses. Additionally, seals 414, 415 and416 may be formed. The seals form a fluid pathway in the cavity suchthat fluid entering the cavity from hose 411 is forced around the seals,through the cavity before it may egresses from hose 413. Preferably,seal 414 bisects the entirety of lobe 403 and extends partially up alongthe imaginary dividing line between lobes 401 and 402 leaving gap 414 abetween seal 414 and seal 410—roughly at the imaginary line 422 betweenlobe 403 and 402—leaving gap 414 b between seal 414 and seal 410—roughlyat the imaginary line 421 between lobe 403 and 401—and leaving gap 414 cbetween the distal end of seal 414 and seal 410—roughly along imaginaryline 420. Extending from the distal end of seal 414 are seals 415 and416. Seal 415 extends from seal 414 into lobe 401 toward seal 410leaving gap 415 a between the distal end of seal 415 and seal 410. Seal416 extends from seal 414 into lobe 402 toward seal 410 leaving gap 416a between the distal end of seal 416 and seal 410. Preferably, gaps 414c, 415 a and 416 a are shorter than the lengths of seals 414, 415 and416 respectively. It is also preferable that seals 414, 415 and 416 formthe roughly the shape of a capital letter Y. Patterned seals may also beformed in wrap 400.

FIG. 5 depicts the opposite side of wrap 400, generally identified as400 b which is preferably constructed utilizing at least two sheets ofmaterial and at least one hose where the two sheets are sealed togetherabout their perimeters to from a cavity and the hose is provided suchthat fluid may ingress to and egress from the cavity only by way of thehose. Additional seals may be made in the material forming the cavity.For example, seal 430 extends from seal 410 across lobe 403 such that agap 430 a is formed between the distal end of seal 430 and seal 410.Seal 431 is formed so as to extend from seal 410 and traverse acrosslobes 401 and 402 such that a gap 431 a is formed between the distal endof seal 431 and seal 410. Other seals, such as seal 432 may be formedapproximately at the junction point between lobe 403 and lobes 401 and402. Seal 432 is preferably formed between seal 410, creating gap 432 aand gap 432 b. Seals 433, formed in lower portion lobe 401, and seal434, formed in the lower portion of lobe 402 may also be provided. Seals430 and 431 assist in forming a pressure gradient as fluid flows intothe cavity through hose 412. The additional seals 432, 433 and 434 alsoassist in creating a pressure gradient in addition to preventing thewrap 400 from deforming and ballooning up. When fluid is introduced intothe cavity, seals 432 through 434 prevent the layers of material formingthe cavity from expanding too far away from one another and therebymaintain a thinner profile in wrap 400 than would otherwise existwithout the seals when the cavity was filled with fluid.

As mentioned previously, the preferable shape of wrap 400 approximates aclover, or a capital letter Y. While wrap 400 could approximate thecapital letter T, the Y shape provides an indentation, or valley 417identified in FIG. 5, between the uppermost portions of lobes 401 and402. As shown in FIG. 5, the depth of the valley is identified as 417 aand the span of the valley is identified as 417 b. Preferably, the span417 b is grater than the depth 417 a. The presence of the valley ispreferable in that allows for the wrap to be positioned on anindividual's shoulder while accommodating the sloping junction pointbetween the individual's trapezius and levator scapulae muscles in theupper back and neck and the deltoid musculature in the shoulder.Primarily the trapezius muscles tend to slope downward from anindividual's neck toward the deltoid, and the valley 417 helps minimizethe wrap's contact with the slope of the trapezius. Minimizing thatcontact allows the wrap 400 to remain seated on the shoulder of theindividual and not be lifted up or pulled away from the shoulder by thetrapezius and allow for lobes 401 and 402 extend into the individual'sback and chest and maximize their contact with those areas.

The unique shape of wrap 400 facilitates its manipulation into theformation of a cup which can then, preferably, be applied over anindividual's shoulder. In practical application, considering FIG. 4,lobe 403 is lifted up and lobes 402 and 403 are slid underneath lobe 403bringing fastener sections 404 a and 404 b together. Wrap 400 may thenbe inverted such that, side 400 b forms the exterior of the cup whileside 400 a forms the interior of the cup. In such a configuration, wrapfastening sections 404 a and 404 b may be fastened together in order tomaintain the cup shape. Once joined, lobes 401 and 402 will helpmaintain the position of lob 403 against the individual's body when thewrap is applied.

The cup shape of wrap 400 is particularly suitable for applying therapyto an individual's shoulder. With fastening sections 404 a and 404 bfastened, the wrap may be placed over, for example, an individual'sright shoulder. Preferably, wrap 400 is further secured to theindividual's shoulder by way of a harness or strap that connects to wrap400, using hook and loop fasteners for example, and surrounds theindividual's torso. Fluid may then be allowed to ingress to and egressfrom the wrap through hoses 411, 412 and 413. Fastening sections 404 aand 404 b keep lobe 403 against the individual's shoulder and arm inorder to ensure that therapy is applied to that area of the body. Thecup formation ensures that lobes 401 and 402 each maintain contact withshoulder area as well, one lobe essentially contacting the pectoralismajor and the frontal area of the deltoid while the other lobeessentially contacts the lower trapezius and rear area of the deltoid.Thus, the cup shape of wrap 400 ensures that the wrap maintains contactwith the body even when filled with fluid and does not deform andballoon away from the area of the body requiring therapy.

Another wrap is wrap 600 depicted in FIGS. 6 and 7. FIG. 6 shows a firstside 600 a of wrap 600 and FIG. 7 shows a second side 600 b of wrap 600.Wrap 600 is designed to surround an individual's foot, ankle and lowercalf. The basic construction of wrap 600 is similar to the other wrapsdiscussed herein in that four sheets of material are sealed together tocreate at least two chambers and three hoses are also provided to allowfor fluid to ingress to and egress from the chambers. However, wrap 600differs in shape than the previously discussed wraps. As shown in FIG.6, wrap 600 includes four lobes, 601, 602, 603, and 604. The overallshape wrap, defined by perimeter seal 610, is essentially symmetricalwhen bisected along a longitudinal axis. That is, lobe 601 mirrors lobe602 and lobe 603 mirrors lobe 604.

The basic shape of wrap 600 is that of a trapezoid joined to a pentagon.The trapezoid may be said to have a top and a base, where the length ofthe top is less than the length of the base, and the sides form acuteangles as they extend away from the base toward the top while alsoforming obtuse angles as they extend away from the top toward the base.The pentagon may be said to be formed of a triangle and a trapezoid,where one side of the triangle forms the base of the trapezoid, and thepoint of the triangle, opposite that base, constitutes the top of thepentagon.

The two upper lobes, 601 and 602, generally form a trapezoid (roughlyoutlined by hash line 615), each lobe 601 and 602 forming half of thetrapezoidal shape, while the two lower lobes, 603 and 604, generallyform a pentagon, each lobe 603 and 604 forming half of the pentagonalshape. All of the lobes meet approximately in the middle of the basetrapezoid formed by lobes 601 and 602, and at the top point of thepentagon formed by lobes 603 and 604 thereby forming a cavity bounded byseal 610.

In the preferred embodiment, as can be seen in FIG. 6, the perimeters oflobes 601 and 602 vary from the traditional trapezoidal shape 615. Thebase of each of lobes 601 and 602 are angled upward from the base of thetrapezoid such that gaps 614 a and 614 b are created. The side of eachof lobe 601 and 602 are also indented so as to form a wide U, V or Lshape, the distance between the well of each indention and the sides oftrapezoid 615 being 609 b and 609 a, respectively. The tops of lobes 601and 602 also curve down towards a middle point where they are joinedtogether such that the top of the wrap exhibits a slight curve over themajority, if not the entirety, of its length. The curvature of the topof lobes 601 and 602 creates a gap 608 between the tops of the lobes andtrapezoid 615.

The shape of wrap 600 is designed to allow the wrap to conform to theunique shape of an individual's foot, ankle and lower calf. In practice,an individual aligns his foot such that the individual's heal is placedin the upper trapezoidal portion, the individual's arch bridges theconnection point between the upper and lower portions, and theindividual's toes are located in the pentagonal section, orientedclosest to hoses 611, 612, and 613. To secure the wrap 600, lobe 601 islifted up then wrapped around the individual's ankle. Lobe 602 is liftedup and wrapped over lobe 601, also around the individual's ankle.Fastener segment 605, which includes a fastener such as hooks, is thensecured to the exterior of lobe 601. Thus the upper portions of lobes601 and 602 surround the individual's ankle and lower calf.

The gaps 609 a and 609 b follow the shape of the individual's ankle andfoot. Without the gaps 609 a and 609 b, the wrap would crease at thefront of the individual's ankle, where the leg meets the top of theindividual's foot, thereby inhibiting or cutting off the flow of fluidinto portions of lobes 601 and 602. Additionally, the curvature of thetop of lobes 601 and 602, resulting in gap 608, allows the wrap to fitsnuggly against the conical shape of the individual's calf and ankle.Without the gap 608, the lobes 601 and 602 would tend to form acylindrical shape instead of a cone and thus the wrap would fit tightlyon the individual's lower calf but would be loose at the individual'sankle, or lobes 601 and 602 would have a tendency to kink and blockfluid flow, in either case resulting in inadequate therapy being appliedto the ankle and calf areas.

With lobes 601 and 602 secured, lobe 603 is folded over the top of theindividual's foot and toes and fastener section 606, which includes afastener such as hooks, is secured to the exterior of lobe 602. Lobe 604is then folded over the top of the individual's foot and toes, and overlobe 603, and fastening section 607, which likewise includes a fastenersuch as hooks, is secured to the exterior of lobe 603. With wrap 600 sosecured, fluid may be introduced to the cavities of the wrap by way ofhoses 611, 612 and 613. Preferably, where wrap 600 is constructed offour sheets of material having at least two cavities formed betweenthem, hoses 611 and 613 communicate with the cavity closest to theindividual's skin, referred to as the interior cavity, while hose 612communicates with another cavity, such as the most exterior cavity. Itshould be appreciated that the exterior of wrap 600, generallyreferenced as 600 b in FIG. 7, is preferably constructed using amaterial having sufficient nap such that the hooks of a hook and loopfastening system are able to engage the nap as they would normallyengage loops. Alternately, loop sections could be affixed to side 600 bsuch that the fastening sections 605, 606 and 607 would engage the loopswhen the wrap is properly applied to an individuals foot, or a differentfastening system, such as buttons or snaps could be implemented in placeof the hook and loop system.

Additional seal 617 may be provided so as to create a channel in theinterior cavity. When fluid is pumped into the interior cavity throughhose 611, the channel created by seal 617 forces the fluid along onehalf of the individual's foot, moving from the toes toward the heel.Thereafter the fluid progresses around the ankle bone and up the ankleto the lower calf where it circles around the back of the individual'scalf before descending down the opposite side of the individual's ankleand around the opposite ankle bone. The fluid then progresses down tothe individual's heel and back along the opposite side of theindividual's foot toward the toes where it is expelled through hose 613.As with the other wraps discussed herein, it is further contemplatedthat the cavity having seal 617 could have additional seals, such aspattern seals formed within it (not shown).

Where wrap 600 is formed of at least four sheets of material, anotherchamber, the exterior chamber for example, may also include additionalseals. FIG. 7 is a depiction of the exterior side of wrap 600,identified as 600 b. As shown in FIG. 7, seal 618 is created between atleast two sheets defining a cavity. Seal 618 extends from the perimeterof lobe 603 across the width of wrap 600 and nearly to seal 610 which,in FIG. 7 is the seal defining the perimeter of the cavity, leaving gap618 a between the distal end of seal 618 and seal 610. It should beapparent that additional seals could be added that would alter theperimeter of the cavity, but for explanatory purposes, the seal 610 willbe identified as the perimeter of the cavity. Additionally, a seal 619is made in the cavity extending from the perimeter of the cavity in lobe601 across the width of wrap 600 nearly to seal 610 of the cavity,leaving gap 619 a. Consequently, when fluid is pumped into the externalcavity through hose 612, the fluid is forced along seal 618, through gap618 a, up through the wrap into lobes 601 and 602, then through gap 619a and back across the wrap moving from lobe 602 into lobe 601 across thetop of seal 619. In practical application, when an individual hassecured the wrap to his foot, ankle and lower calf as explained above,the movement of fluid as just described creates a pressure gradient inthe individual's foot beginning at the toes, moving along the foot tothe heel and ankle, then increasing pressure up the ankle and finally upinto the calf. The creation of such a pressure forces fluid in the body,such as blood, from the toes and foot back up into the leg and towardthe heart.

Although the present invention has been described in terms of thepreferred embodiments, it is to be understood that such disclosure isnot intended to be limiting. Various alterations and modifications willbe readily apparent to those of skill in the art. Accordingly, it isintended that the appended claims be interpreted as covering allalterations and modifications as fall within the spirit and scope of theinvention.

What is claimed is:
 1. A therapy wrap comprising: two or more layers ofmaterial and one or more hoses wherein a first layer of material and asecond layer of material are sealed together along a first cavity sealsuch that a first cavity is formed between the first and second layer,the first cavity seal defining a shape of the first cavity; wherein saidhose is provided such that a first end of said hose is exterior to thefirst cavity and a second end of said hose is interior to the firstcavity; wherein a channel within said hose provides an access pathway tosaid first cavity; wherein the shape of the first cavity includes aprimary body portion having an elongated arm extending from it, saidelongated arm having less surface area than that of the primary bodyportion; and wherein said hose is provided along the cavity seal of theelongated arm at the distal end of said elongated arm.
 2. The therapywrap of claim 1 wherein, at a location opposite to that of the elongatedarm, the primary body portion of the cavity further includes a flapextending from said primary body portion, said flap having less surfacearea than the surface area of the primary body portion.
 3. The therapywrap of claim 2 wherein the primary body portion is rectangular inshape, having a top, a bottom and two sides each having a length, thelengths of the top and the bottom being greater than the lengths of thesides; and wherein the elongated arm extends primarily from a lower halfof one side of the primary body portion and the flap extends primarilyfrom the lower half of the opposite side of the primary body portion. 4.The therapy wrap of claim 1 wherein the primary body portion isrectangular in shape, having a top, a bottom and two sides each having alength, the lengths of the top and the bottom being greater than thelengths of the sides; wherein the elongated arm extends primarily fromone side of the primary body; and wherein, the cavity seal extendsacross the top of the primary body portion and forms a top valley in thetop of the primary body portion, the top valley being formed in at leasta middle third of the length of the top of the primary body portion. 5.The therapy wrap of claim 4 wherein the cavity seal extends across thebottom of the primary body portion and forms a bottom valley in thebottom of the primary body portion, the bottom valley being formed in atleast a middle third of the length of the bottom of the primary bodyportion.
 6. The therapy wrap of claim 5 wherein a depth of the topvalley and the depth of the bottom valley are together less than orequal to the distance between a lowest point of the top valley and alowest point of the bottom valley.
 7. The therapy wrap of claim 1further comprising a first pathway seal, wherein the primary bodyportion is rectangular in shape, having a top, a bottom and two sideseach having a length, the lengths of the top and the bottom beinggreater than the lengths of the sides; wherein the elongated arm extendsprimarily from a lower half of one side of the primary body portion; andwherein the first pathway seal exists between least the two layers ofmaterial defining the first cavity, the first pathway seal extendingfrom the cavity seal partially into the first cavity thereby dividingthe first cavity into a first and second section such that fluidentering the first cavity from the hose must travel through the firstsection along the entire length of first pathway seal before passing thedistal end of the first pathway seal and entering the second portion ofthe first cavity.
 8. The therapy wrap of claim 1 further comprising atleast two hoses and a first pathway seal; wherein at least a first hoseand a second hose are separated from each other at least by a distancethat is equal to the thickness of said first pathway seal, each of saidfirst hose and said second hose being provided along the first cavityseal at the distal end of said elongated arm; wherein said first pathwayseal exists between the two layers of material forming the first cavityand extends from said first cavity seal at a point along said firstcavity seal that exists between said first hose and said second hosesuch that fluid entering said first cavity through one of said firsthose or said second hose must traverse at least the length of said firstpathway seal before said fluid reaches said second hose.
 9. The therapywrap of claim 1 further comprising at least a second and a third hose,each having a first end and a second end, and at least a third and afourth layer of material; wherein said third layer of material and saidfourth layer of material are sealed together along a second cavity sealsuch that a second cavity is formed between the third layer and thefourth layer, the second cavity seal defining a shape of a secondcavity, wherein the shape of the second cavity includes a primary bodyportion having an elongated arm extending from it, said elongated armhaving less surface area than that of the primary body portion; whereinsaid second hose and said third hose are each provided along the secondcavity seal at the distal end of said elongated arm of said secondcavity; wherein a channel within said second hose provides an accesspathway to said second cavity; wherein the channel within said thirdhose provides another access pathway to said second cavity; and whereinat least one of said third layer or said fourth layer is sealedtogether, along a connecting seal, with at least one of said at firstlayer or said second layer.
 10. A therapy wrap comprising: two or morelayers of material and one or more hoses wherein at least a first layerof material and a second layer of material are sealed together along afirst cavity seal such that a first cavity is formed between the firstand second layer, the first cavity seal defining a shape of the firstcavity; wherein the shape of the first cavity is approximately the shapeof a capital letter T, having a horizontal cross member which crosses avertical base member, the cross member of the cavity including a firstlobe corresponding to a first half of the cross member, a second lobecorresponding to a second half of the cross member, and a third lobecorresponding to the vertical base member; and wherein at least saidfirst hose is provided in at least one of said lobes such that saidfirst hose provides an access pathway to said first cavity.
 11. Atherapy wrap as in claim 10 wherein said hose is provided along thefirst cavity seal at the distal end of one of the lobes.
 12. A therapywrap as in claim 10 further comprising a first fastener section and asecond fastener section; wherein said hose is provided along the firstcavity seal at the distal end of the third lobe; wherein said firstfastener section is located at least in part along the lower half of thefirst lobe and said second fastener section is located at least in partalong the lower half of said second lobe, both the first faster sectionand the second fastener section being on either side of the third lobesuch that when the first faster section and second fastener section arefastened together, the third lobe is either at least partially behindsaid first lobe and said second lobe or at least partially in front ofsaid first lobe and said second lobe
 13. A therapy wrap as in claim 10further comprising at least a first pathway seal and at least a secondpathway seal; wherein said first pathway seal extends from the firstcavity seal into the third lobe and divides said third lobe into atleast an upper chamber and a lower chamber, said upper chamber beingjoined to said lower chamber by a first fluid pathway existing between adistal end of said first pathway seal and said first cavity seal, saidhose providing an access pathway for fluid to enter to said lowerchamber; wherein said second pathway seal divides said first cavity inat least said first lobe into at least two chambers, each chamberconnected to each other by at least a second fluid pathway, said secondfluid pathway exists between the distal end of the second pathway sealand the first cavity seal.
 14. A therapy wrap as in claim 10 whereinsaid first cavity seal extends across the top of said first lobe andsaid second lobe and wherein first cavity seal forms a valley in saidfirst cavity along the top of said first lobe and said second lobe, in alocation generally opposite to that of the third lobe.
 15. A therapywrap as in claim 10 further comprising at least a second hose and atleast a first pathway seal; wherein said second hose provides an accesspathway to said first cavity; wherein said first hose and said secondhose are each provided along the first cavity seal at the distal end ofsaid third lobe, said first hose and said second hose being separatedfrom each other along the first cavity seal by a distance of at leastthe thickness of said first pathway seal; and wherein the first pathwayseal exists between at least the two layers of material defining thefirst cavity, the first pathway seal extending from the cavity sealpartially into the first cavity thereby dividing the first cavity into afirst and second section such that fluid entering the first cavity fromthe first hose must travel through the first section along the length offirst pathway seal before passing a distal end of the first pathway sealand entering the second portion of the first cavity.
 16. A therapy wrapas in claim 15 wherein said first pathway seal exists between at leastthe two layers of material defining the first cavity such that saidfirst pathway seal extends from said first cavity seal in said thirdlobe at least partially into said third lobe and includes a first branchextending at least partially into said first lobe and includes a secondbranch extending at least partially into said second lobe such thatfluid entering said first cavity through said first hose must flow intoa first part of said third lobe, travel along said first pathway seal,then travel along said first branch and into said first lobe beforetraveling along said second branch and into said second lobe beforeflowing into said second section of said third lobe and flowing out saidsecond hose.
 17. A therapy wrap as in claim 10 further comprising atleast a second and a third hose, and at least a third and a fourth layerof material; wherein said third layer of material and said fourth layerof material are sealed together along a second cavity seal such that asecond cavity is formed between the third layer and the fourth layer,the second cavity seal defining a shape of a second cavity; wherein saidsecond hose and said third hose each provide an access pathway to saidsecond cavity; wherein at least one of said third layer or said fourthlayer is sealed together, along a connecting seal, with at least one ofsaid first layer or said second layer, wherein the shape of the secondcavity is approximately the shape of a capital letter T, having ahorizontal cross member which crosses a vertical base member, the crossmember of the second cavity including a first lobe corresponding to afirst half of the cross member, a second lobe corresponding to a secondhalf of the cross member, and a third lobe corresponding to the verticalbase member; and wherein said second hose and said third hose are eachprovided along the second cavity seal at the distal end of said thirdlobe of said second cavity.
 18. A therapy wrap comprising: two or morelayers of material and one or more hoses wherein at least one hose,having a first end and a second end, a first layer of material and asecond layer of material are sealed together along a first cavity sealsuch that a first cavity is formed between the first and second layer,the first cavity seal defining a shape of the first cavity; wherein saidhose provides an access pathway to said first cavity; wherein the firstcavity includes a top section, said top section having a trapezoidalshape, joined with bottom section, said bottom section having apentagonal shape, such that the bottom section overlaps the base of thetrapezoidal top section at least in a middle third of the length of thebase of the trapezoidal top section; and wherein the hose traverses isprovided along the first cavity seal defining the pentagon section ofthe cavity.
 19. The therapy wrap of claim 18 wherein the pentagonalbottom section is joined to the top section at a point of the pentagonalshape, and wherein the hose is provided along the first cavity sealdefining an edge of the pentagonal shape opposite the point joining thebottom section to the top section.
 20. The therapy wrap of claim 19further comprising at least a first hose and a second hoses and apathway seal formed between at least two layers of defining the firstcavity; wherein said first hose and said second hose are provided alongthe edge of the pentagonal shape opposite the point joining thepentagonal shape to the top section; wherein said pathway seal extendsfrom the first cavity seal at a point between said first hose and saidsecond hose, extends through the bottom section and into the top sectiontoward the top of the trapezoidal shape of the top section; and whereinsaid pathway seal further includes a first branch and a second branch,said first branch extending from said first pathway seal toward a firstside of the trapezoidal top section and said second branch extends fromsaid first pathway seal toward a second side of the trapezoidal topsection such that fluid flowing into said first cavity through the firsthose and out of said first cavity through said second hose must firsttraverse along the said pathway seal at least in part through a firsthalf of the pentagonal bottom section, pass through the point connectingsaid bottom section to said top section, traverse along the first branchof said pathway seal and around a distal end of said first branch,traverse across the top of said top section and around a distal end ofsaid second branch, traverse back through the point connecting saidbottom section to said top section and into at least part of a secondhalf of said pentagonal bottom section before exiting said first cavitythrough said second hose.